Automotive: Forvia (Faurecia) promises hydrogen cheaper than battery cars in 2030.
Highly discussed and even contested, the hydrogen car has found its adorer… Patrick Koller, CEO of Forvia (the new structure resulting from the takeover of Hella by Faurecia), did not mince words to say the whole although he thought of this technology.
For him, Symbio — a company specializing in fuel cells, founded in 2010 by Fabio Ferrari, in which Michelin entered the capital in 2014 before transforming it into a joint venture with Faurecia in 2019 — is “a jewel, a diamond to keep”.
Sovereignty issue
For Patrick Koller, the hydrogen car will compensate for the shortcomings of the battery-powered electric car. According to him, they are of two kinds. The first is an issue of sovereignty related to metal supplies.
🔥 What about we co-host a webinar? Let's educate, captivate, and convert the hydrogen economy!
Hydrogen Central is the global go-to online magazine for the hydrogen economy, we can help you host impactful webinars that become a global reference on your topic and are an evergreen source of leads. Click here to request more details
Patrick Koller, said:
We are going to move from an dependence on oil to an even stronger dependence on the metals of electrification.
He replied to journalists during the presentation of Forvia’s half-year results. “90% of metal refining is done in China”he added.
“While we only need platinum that can be recycled from catalytic converters” to make fuel cells.
Symbio: “We want to divide our production costs by ten”
France is recognized for its mastery of the entire hydrogen technology value chain. Thus, on the automotive part, the sector produces tanks (an essential and very expensive element to withstand the pressure), depressurization valves and the fuel cell.
Symbio has also just inaugurated a factory near Lyon which should make it possible to increase the production of fuel cells on a large scale in order to lower their unit price. The French hydrogen industry also includes hydrogen producers such as Air Liquide, but also EDF and Engie, which are investing massively in green hydrogen production capacity.
Finally, a start-up, Hopium, even aims to produce very high-end hydrogen cars, to complete a quasi-sovereign value chain. Moreover, Forvia is not the only group to be interested in hydrogen in automotive matters since Plastic Omnium is also in this niche.
By buying the German Hella, the French Faurecia creates Forvia, a new giant of the car of the future
For Patrick Koller, there is another major issue with the hydrogen car. According to him, this technology effectively solves the infrastructural problem posed by the electric battery.
Motorway areas will have to be massively equipped with fast charging stations, up to 80 per service station according to him. But the cost of this infrastructure will not be borne by any economic model.
“The investments required on the major axes are colossal to meet the needs of a few days a year”, says Patrick Kohler.
Hydrogen soon cheaper than the battery
Speaking of the economic model, the boss of Forvia estimates that he will be able to offer a complete hydrogen traction chain for a 100 kWh car (high range of electric cars currently on the market) between 7,000 and 8,000 euros in 2030. “I don’t think battery technology will reach that price”he judged.
Patrick Koller recalls that he is multiplying the contracts and that his order book for the hydrogen activity has now reached 500 million euros. The contract with Stellantis is an excellent road setting opportunity, particularly in light commercial vehicles in Europe, but above all in American pick-ups, the most profitable segment of the market.
For Patrick Koller, the potential of this market is colossal. He thinks about the best way to enhance his “jewel” Symbio, in particular through an IPO. The principle has not yet been decided.
A solution to decarbonize the industry
Patrick Koller, who strongly believes in carbon-free mobility (but not in 2035 contrary to the obligation adopted by the European Union), believes that hydrogen will be the real solution. He qualifies, however, by insisting on the fact that the battery car has real arguments in many cases of use, in particular exclusively urban mobility.
But he goes further than questions of mobility and judges that hydrogen will provide an answer to industrial decarbonization, and will make it possible to store energy.
For now, however, the automotive market lacks models. Only Toyota, Honda and Hyundai marketed the first cars, while waiting for the French Hopium. But for Patrick Koller, the first models will eventually arrive… Even Tesla will eventually get started, he wants to believe…
READ the latest news shaping the hydrogen market at Hydrogen Central
Automotive: Forvia (Faurecia) promises hydrogen cheaper than battery cars in 2030, July 26, 2022
